Farmers and ranchers in portions of Colorado soon will be able to sign up for a voluntary conservation program designed to preserve irrigation water and reduce ground water withdrawal from the Rio Grande Basin. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture John Salazar announced a new Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) agreement today to establish permanent native grasses, wildlife habitat, shallow areas for wildlife and wetland restoration on up to 40,000 acres of eligible irrigated cropland in Alamosa, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. “USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program continues to be one of our nation’s most successful voluntary efforts to conserve land, improve our soil, water, air and wildlife habitat resources — and now producers in Colorado have even greater incentives to enroll in efforts to protect the Rio Grande Basin.” Learn more.